The Price of Revenge
by Yami no Ryu
Summary: Kitairu Tabano is an orphan. And she blames a certain redhaired samurai for the death of her father. Now, she is a master of the sword herself and is out for revenge. Will Kenshin survive or will Kitairu join her father? DISCONTINUED
1. Prologue: The Battousai

Rurouni Kenshin: The Price of Revenge  
  
Prologue: The Battousai  
  
===  
  
Yami no Ryu: Heya all! This is my first Rurouni Kenshin fic, and I haven't seen the whole series yet, so go easy on me.  
  
Kenshin: She doesn't want flamers, no she does not.  
  
Kaoru: And since this is just a prologue, I won't be in it! *pouts*  
  
YnR: Cheer up, Kaoru! You're in the next chapter.  
  
Kaoru: YAY!  
  
YnR: Now, on to this chapter.  
  
"A civilization that would trade a little liberty for a little power deserves neither and will lose both." -Thomas Jefferson  
  
===  
  
"AAAAAAA--"  
  
"Daddy, what's going on?"  
  
She clutched at her father's leg.  
  
"Nothing, sweetie," the man answered. But even his seven-year-old daughter knew he was lying. There was another agonized scream, abruptly cut off. The girl moved closer to her father, trying not to cry. There was a foul scent in the air; the scent of fear, of blood, of death.  
  
"Daddy, I'm scared," the girl squeaked.  
  
"Sh, ssh, Kita. Ssh," he whispered, rubbing her back comfortingly.  
  
Another scream.  
  
It was closer!  
  
The wind howled in the treetops, and seemed to shout, "The Battousai comes! He comes! He comes!" But nothing could drown out another horrid, pain- filled scream that again ended rather quickly.  
  
"It's not fair," the father whispered suddenly. "My daughter shouldn't be slaughtered because I made a mistake, because I was on the wrong side!" The father knew what he had to do, but was hesitant. Despite the danger she was in, his daughter gave him a strange sort of comfort. The comfort of knowing that someone else was there. But another scream--still closer!--made his mind for him. He bent down to the girl's level. For seven years, she was tall for her age, and her fire-orange eyes were sparkling with fear. "Kita, listen, and listen well."  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Go to Mommy's old room. Stay there and don't come out. Do not leave Mommy's old room until morning. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, Daddy."  
  
He smiled a sad smile down at her and gathered her into his arms. "Kitairu Tabano, I'll love you forever. You'll always be my Kita, remember that."  
  
"I love you too, Daddy," she whispered.  
  
But before he could send her off, a scream was heard right outside the door.  
  
"Kuso! I tarried too long!" the father swore.  
  
"Daddy?" the girl whispered, terrified. He picked her up a set her gently in a cupboard.  
  
"Kita, stay here and don't make a sound! Do you understand me?"  
  
"Y-y-y-yes, Daddy," she whispered. The father smiled again that sad smile and kissed his one and only daughter on her forehead.  
  
"I'll always love you," he said, and closed the cupboard's door. But it didn't close all the way. Curiosity overrode fear and she peaked out. She would regret what she saw for the rest of her life. In the only patch of moonlight that illuminated the room, she saw a flash of red-orange hair, the sparkle of violet eyes, and a cross-shaped scar. Then the next thing she knew there was the flash of steel and her father slumped forward, headless. A few feet away, his head rolled to a stop.  
  
She would have cried out, screamed, but her father had ordered her not to make a sound. So she didn't. But she couldn't take her eyes off of his corpse. What had been a living being just a few minutes ago was now a dead body, lifeless and unfeeling. Tears leaked out of her eyes, slowly at first, then faster and faster, until she was silently bawling.  
  
When the first rays of light peeked over the horizon, she dared move. Slowly sliding the door open, she crept out, and looked at the body. Then at the head. She couldn't stand it any more. She ran out of the room. Once out, she collapsed, sobbing. When the sun was full over the horizon, she looked up.  
  
"Daddy," she whispered; then, "DADDY!!!!!!!!!"  
  
===  
  
Kenshin: That was sad, that it was.  
  
Kaoru: *sobbing* How horrible! That poor girl!  
  
YnR: I like angst. I can't help it!  
  
Kenshin: Please leave a review.  
  
YnR: I like reviews, that I do. And if you flame, I'll send Kaoru after you. -.^ (Hey, it rhymes!)  
  
Kaoru: *angry* I don't appreciate being used..  
  
YnR: *nervously* Uh, okay. Then I'll send an angry Battousai after the flamers!  
  
Kaoru: Good. *nods head in approval*  
  
Kenshin: Why is it always me.? 


	2. Chapter 1: They Meet

Rurouni Kenshin: The Price of Revenge

Chapter 1: They Meet

===

YnR: Well, here's the long awaited first chapter!

Kaoru: Whoever said they were waiting for the second chapter? You have three reviews, and one just happens to be your best friend. Doesn't sound as if anyone's waiting to me.

Kenshin: That's mean, Kaoru-dono!

Kaoru: Why thank you Kenshin.

YnR: On with the story. Is that okay with you, Oh Evil One?

Kaoru: On with the story!

Kenshin: *sigh*

===

Pant—pant—pant. They had finally begun to catch up, those stupid guards. They couldn't even guard an onyx necklace, let alone a gold one! She smirked as she looked again at the glittering necklace in her hand. It would make her a fortune.

"Stop thief! STOP!!" 

Those stupid guards were telling _her_ to stop? She snickered and quickened her pace, running into an alley and jumping on some crates to reach the rooftops. There she jumped from roof to roof until she came to an open area. She could hear the guards on her tail; she needed a hiding place until they left. The open area had a couple places to hide behind or in, so she jumped off the roof, holding the one weapon she owned close so it wouldn't hurt her or get damaged. 

Once she touched down she ducked down into a corner behind some crates. Her ear to the wall, she heard the guards pass by. _Baka_, she hissed mentally. She was about to creep out when she heard a voice, a light, almost feminine voice.

"You can come out now, they're gone." 

She popped up and eyed the speaker. At first glance the person seemed to be a female, but his clothes told otherwise. Her eyes glided down his slight figure and came to rest on his sword scabbard. Then her eyes flew back to his face. _No_, she thought. _It's him. It's the Hitokiri Battousai!_ She would never forget the cross-shaped scar or bright orange-red hair. _Never_.

He watched her with interest, amazed at how her eyes seemed to change from a light orange-red to bright red in the light. He did a double-take when he realized they actually _did_ change color. Her stance was light, carefree, but her eyes betrayed her. Her eyes were filled with hatred. _At who?_ he wondered, _me? But we've never even met!_

"Well, how odd that I should meet the very man I look for," she said. "How do you do, Battousai?"

Kenshin resisted the urge to face-fault. How could she know?

"You don't recognize me, do you?" she asked languidly, as if this were all a game. "No, you wouldn't. After all, you didn't see me. You probably don't even remember my father, do you? Among all those you killed, why would you remember a lowly government official who just happened to be an enemy of the very same government ou worked under?"

His heart began to constrict. Who was she, and why did she hate him so? What did he do to her?

"You didn't do anything to me, not really," she said, as if reading his mind. "Just beheaded my father while I was there, sitting in a cabinet, terrified."

He became cold. He killed her father during the Bakumatsu. That's what happened. That's how she knew him.

"Of course, you were probably too caught-up in your blood-lust you didn't notice me there, trying not to make a sound. But I've made myself known now."

He stared at her in shock. Blood-lust? He had never thirsted for the sight or taste of blood. He had just been over-patriotic, and lost his heart because of it. He had been much to eager in the beginning to realize what would happen later.

"My name is Kitairu Tabano," she said. "Remember it."

Then she jumped to the top of the fence, and over. Kenshin furrowed his brow. Kitairu Tabano? He'd talk to Sano later, and see what the rooster-head knew.

But one thing troubled him. Well, two, actually. He hadn't noticed it until she jumped the fence surrounding the dojo. One: she had a golden necklace, which would explain the policemen. But the second was far more serious. She had a katana.

She had a sword, and she would return.

Kenshin knew that with a certainty.

===

Kaoru: I wasn't in it

YnR: Sorry, there just wasn't a place for you, Kaoru.

Kenshin: What did I do to deserve this?

YnR: Deserve what?

Kenshin: The story! The girl after my life!

YnR: Nothin'. I just felt like writing it. *looming over Kenshin suddenly* Got a problem with that?!?

Kenshin: *scared* No.

YnR: Good.

Kaoru: Review! Or else the Battousai will be after your blood!

YnR: Kaoru, don't threaten the readers.

Kaoru: Yeah, yeah, fine.


	3. Chapter 2: Information

Rurouni Kenshin: The Price of Revenge

Chapter 2: Information

===

Koaru: I'm in this chapter! Yay!!

YnR: *deadpan* Yes, let us all rejoice and be glad.

Kaoru: Evil aurthoress. *glares*

YnR: Let's get on with this, shall we?

Kenshin: Please.

===

A person, small in stature, slight in build, crouched over the laundry. One would have thought the person was a female, what with the long, red hair and clear violet eyes. At least they would have been clear, had it not been for a slight shadow in their deepest depths. But to all passerby, the person looked concentrated and at peace, washing the day's laundry.

But Kenshin was not at peace. He was trying to remember why the name Tabano sounded so familiar. A memory was whispering in his ear, teasing his mind's eye, but he just couldn't grasp it.

Finally, with an irritated sigh, he shoved the line of thought into the far recesses of his mind for later consideration. He turned his full attention to the laundry. He didn't have long to wait, though, as Yahiko, Kaoru and Sanosuke appeared in the dojo entrance.

"It wasn't MY fault!" Sano shouted, glaring angrily at Yahiko.

"It was TOO!" Yahiko returned.

"You were the one who started it!"

"You were the one who tripped!"

"You were the one who tried to kill me with your shinai*!"

"You were the one who threw the first punch!"

"You were the one who ripped the fabric!"

"You were the one who crashed into the vegetable stand!"

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!" they shouted at the same time, then turned away from each other. Kenshin sweatdropped.

"Kaoru-dono, what are they talking about?" he asked politely to the third member, who shook her head sadly.

"They're arguing about an incident that means we have no money left," she said. Kenshin raised and eyebrow. "Sano tripped over a rock and slammed into Yahiko, who then started to bash Sano on the head, and then Sano punched Yahiko back into a tofu stand, and then Yahiko came back barreling into Sano. Sano was off balance and crashed into a vegetable stand, and then then he got up he threw Yahiko into a fabric stand, where Yahiko ripped the fabric. After that, I interceded and paid for the ripped and destroyed products."

Kenshin winced. That meant no more laundry detergent. They were beginning to run out "So you don't have any money left?" he hazarded.

"That's right," she said. Kenshin's shoulders slumped.

"Why don't we all go into the dojo and have lunch?" Kenshin asked. Sano and Yahiko looked up hopefully. Sano was the first to start, but Yahiko ran past him, purposely shoving the ex-gangster out of the way.

"Yahiko" Sano growled.

"Sanosuke," Kenshin said quickly, feeling another fight on the horizon, "I need to talk to you in private."

"Sure Kenshin," Sano replied, eyes on Yahiko as he entered the dining room. "After I beat up the brat."

"No, Sano, _now_," Kenshin said with a tone that brooked no argument.

"But Kenshin" Sano whined. Kenshin stared at Sano. Sano sighed and gave in. "Lead the way."

Sano followed Kenshin into a room that was separate enough from the dining room so that they wouldn't be heard, and sat down. 

"What do you want to talk about?" Sano asked.

"Have you ever heard of Kitairu Tabano?" Kenshin replied.

"_The_ Kitairu Tabano? Why do you want to know about her?" Sano asked, confused.

"Tell me what you know about her," Kenshin said, not really answering the question. Sano shrugged.

"She's a thief," he said. "She's the best of the best. She carries a katana and even though she's made numerous break-ins, the police have never caught her. What she steals, she sells on the black market for a hefty sum. The strange thing is that she's never killed a man, not even a policeman or a guard. She knows all the vital points, where to strike to kill, but she's never actually killed. Mortally wounded, yes, but those wounded never die. They may be crippled or paralyzed, but never dead."

"Never dead," Kenshin murmured.

"Why the interest?" Sano asked.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Nothing at all" Kenshin said absently.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Sano said, more of a statement than a question. He got right up into Kenshin's face. "Kenshin?"

"Nothing, really!" Kenshin assured, raising his hands up in defeat and a gesture of innocence. "Why don't we go have lunch?"

"Lunch?" Sano asked, blinking, all thought of Kitairu Tabano gone from his mind. "YEAH!"

He raced out of the room, Kenshin following him at a more sedate pace. "Kitairu Tabanowhat are you hiding?"

= = =

Kaoru: This gonna be one of those cliché bad-girl-turns-good stories?

YnR: NO! O'course not.

Kaoru: *glare*

YnR: Fine, fine, you caught me. Maybe I'll change it though.

Kaoru: Yeah, right.

Sano: Now Jou-chan, that's not very nice.

Kaoru: *glares*

Sano: *gulps and leaves*

*shinai: a bamboo practice sword, what he always carries around.

~*YnR*~

[RSA: Random Shameless Advertising: Go read "Dead or Alive", my Yu Yu Hakusho fic!]


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